Dosing of injectable fluids by prescription based upon a patient's weight, age or other means of estimating the patient's fluid volume is known in the art. However, the means of calculation the dosing amount is cumbersome and potentially contributing to the incorrect dosing of an intended recipient should any of the base line factors change or an error made in calculation.
Although methods are known by which dose calculating aides may be integrated with typically sized bottles, injectable fluid vials tend to be substantially smaller and thereby greatly limit the practical area available to do so.
The currently available dosage calculations presented on charts and pinwheels are not readily available to the general public. Further, the dosage amount may be based on volume, area or age which can change leaving the individual to seek professional assistance to recalculate the dosage amount. Even if a physician's reference manual is available, the reference can present a confusing array of dosages that may not be understood by the general consumer.
For example, a first responder may carry a host of injectable fluids that are stored in vials to treat various types of accident victims. Upon reaching an accident victim, the first responder is assaulted with a confusing array of possible injuries yet is called upon to immediately provide relief for pain or otherwise stabilize the injured individuals. However, in the midst of the confusion a doctor may not be reached and the first responder may be called upon to determine dosage levels based upon weight, age, fluid volume or area. It is unrealistic to expect a first responder, or even a seasoned physician, to remember all the required doses for all injectable fluids.
The proper dosing of any medication is imperative as is the need to assure that the medication being injected will actually assist the patient. For this reason it is well recognized that dosing calculations performed well before application lessen the possibility of over/under dosing.
The Applicant recognized the need for proper elixir dosing based upon weight versus age for children. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,276,533 and 6,581,773 discloses the need for a weight based dosing regimen for pediatric elixirs, and disclosed a container mounted rotating calculation aid to provide proper dosing at the time of delivery. It is now well recognized that a 12 year old boy may weight 60 lbs or 160 lbs wherein dosing based upon age could lead to over/under dosing.
A number of patents were issued to inventor Key which disclose an apparatus and method of constructing a rotating label system including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,884,421; 6,086,697; 6,237,269; 6,631,578; 6,385,878; 6,402,872; 6,649,007; 7,087,298; and 7,172,668. The disclosures provide for a rotating label that is placed around a container, the rotating label including a viewing window to view indicia placed on an inner label. The patents are directed to a system and method for constructing a rotatable label and attaching the label to a container. Key does not disclose a container for housing another container, and thus would not disclose any teaching for the matching of two containers.
Tamper resistant vial containers are also known, such as the placement of a plastic or a metal seal over the mouth of the container beneath the screw cap. U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,977 discloses a barb or hook inside an open upper end of a vial, providing a cap adapted for insertion into the vial having a mating hook formed about a lower edge thereof, and providing sealing rings formed on the outer surface thereof, thereby yielding a tamper-resistant, leak-proof sealing between the enclosure and the vial.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,586,622 and 4,449,640 describe an open-top vial covered by a cap having a depending peripheral skirt, in such a way that an inner surface of the cap skirt and an outer surface of the cap are provided with complementary mating interlock elements. The cap comprises an integral tear member, defined by at least one weakened, partially circumferential weakened junction lines, such that pulling away the tear member along the junction line allows both annual removal of the cap and ready visual confirmation that vial integrity has been breached.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,211,333 and 4,306,357 disclose a vial having a flange about its opening so that, below the flange and spaced apart therefrom, a shoulder defines an indented neck therebetween. An overcap extends over the flange and about the neck to form a skirt about the neck. The skirt has at least a portion thereof extending inwardly in gripping reaction with the neck and limited in removal by contact with the underside of the flange, whereby the cap cannot be removed without destroying a structural integrity thereof.
No known prior art exists for combining an injectable fluid vial with a security container having a calculation aid for dosing.